The laughing Monkey Blues
Tired of being sad and alone,
I went down to the boardwalk
so I could be sad and alone
around other people.
The crowd was festive
even on a blustery day.
Young couples walked hand in hand,
their futures before them.
Feeling hopeful I took a chance.
The boardwalk Gypsy
took my quarter
and spit out my fortune.
Before I could read it,
I lost it in the ocean breeze.
The organ grinder's monkey
picked it up, read it and laughed.
Its hard to shake off,
the Laughing Monkey blues
C Hoagland 2023
